The Medication Safety Programme aims to greatly reduce the number of New Zealanders harmed each year by medication errors in our hospitals, general practices, aged care facilities and across the entire health and disability sector.

Healthcare associated infection is one of the most frequent adverse events in health care worldwide. Up to 10 percent of patients admitted to modern hospitals in the developed world acquire one or more infections.

The Commission is increasing its focus on primary care and community services, aged residential care and disability services. The Primary Care programme aims to increase quality improvement capability in these areas.

The Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) commends the NZ Police on the release of their report on Police family violence death reviews. The FVDRC is an independent committee that reviews and advises the Health Quality & Safety Commission on how to reduce the number of family violence deaths.

“The report demonstrates the strong commitment the NZ Police have to understanding how they can work most effectively to prevent family violence and family violence deaths,” says Associate Professor Julia Tolmie, Chair of the FVDRC.

“This work is important as it informs the NZ Police’s family violence work and contributes to a culture of reflection and improvement. As Police are often the first responder in situations of family violence, the way in which they respond is pivotal and provides a key opportunity to help families in crisis.”

The FVDRC notes the report provides comments based on family violence death reviews completed by the Police, rather than all family violence deaths taking place over the years in question.

“The Police report presents a selective sample of the deaths,” says Julia Tolmie. “Therefore, its value is in what Police learn from the qualitative, case review analysis process and how they use these insights internally.”

The FVDRC will be publishing a report in March 2013 which will provide a comprehensive analysis of New Zealand family violence deaths that occurred in 2009 and 2010. This report will draw on Police statistics and information, alongside contributions from other key government and non-government organisations, to provide a full picture of deaths due to family violence in New Zealand.

The NZ Police is a key partner in the intersectoral death review processes facilitated by the FVDRC and their contribution is greatly valued.

The FVDRC also endorse one of the main findings to emerge from the report – the need for a better interagency response to family violence.